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Commitments and contingencies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2019
Commitments and contingencies |
Commitments and contingencies | 23. Commitments and contingencies Commitments The Company has entered into employment agreements with certain executives, which expire through December 31, 2022 and provide for, among other things, base annual salaries in an aggregate amount of approximately $5.5 million, performance bonuses and various employee benefits. The Company has purchase obligations totaling approximately $5.5 million through July 31, 2021. Contingencies CW-Bahamas CW-Bahamas’ accounts receivable balances due from the WSC amounted to $18.4 million as of December 31, 2019 and $17.6 million as of December 31, 2018 . Historically, CW-Bahamas has experienced delays in collecting its accounts receivable from the WSC. When these delays occur, the Company holds discussions and meetings with representatives of the WSC and The Bahamas government, and as a result, payment schedules are developed for WSC’s delinquent accounts receivable. All previous delinquent accounts receivable from the WSC were eventually paid in full. Based upon this payment history, CW-Bahamas has never been required to provide an allowance for doubtful accounts for any of its accounts receivable, despite the periodic accumulation of significant delinquent balances. As of December 31, 2019, the Company has not provided an allowance for CW-Bahamas’ accounts receivable from the WSC. If CW-Bahamas continues to be unable to collect a significant portion of its delinquent accounts receivable, one or more of the following events may occur: (i) CW-Bahamas may not have sufficient liquidity to meet its obligations; (ii) the Company may be required to cease the recognition of revenue on CW-Bahamas’ water supply agreements with the WSC; and (iii) the Company may be required to provide an allowance for CW-Bahamas’ accounts receivable. Any of these events could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s results of operations, financial position and cash flows. Cayman Water The Company sells water through its retail operations under a license issued in July 1990 by the Cayman Islands government (the “1990 license”) that granted Cayman Water the exclusive right to provide potable water to customers within its licensed service area. Although the 1990 license was not expressly extended after January 2018, the Company continues to supply water under the terms of the 1990 license, as further discussed in the following paragraph. Pursuant to the 1990 license, Cayman Water has the exclusive right to produce potable water and distribute it by pipeline to its licensed service area, which consists of two of the three most populated areas of Grand Cayman Island: Seven Mile Beach and West Bay. In 2019 and 2018, the Company generated approximately 39% and 39%, respectively, of its consolidated revenue and 53% and 54%, respectively, of its consolidated gross profit from the retail water operations conducted under the 1990 license. The 1990 license was originally scheduled to expire in July 2010 but was extended several times by the Cayman Islands government in order to provide the parties with additional time to negotiate the terms of a new license agreement. The most recent express extension of the 1990 license expired on January 31, 2018. The Company continues to operate under the terms of the 1990 license, providing water services to the level and quality specified in the 1990 license and in accordance with its understanding of its legal obligations, treating those obligations set forth in the 1990 license as operative notwithstanding the expiration of the express extension. The Company continues to pay the royalty required under the 1990 license. In October 2016, the Government of the Cayman Islands passed legislation which created a new utilities regulation and competition office (“OfReg”). OfReg is an independent and accountable regulatory body with a view of protecting the rights of consumers, encouraging affordable utility services and promoting competition. OfReg, which began operations in January 2017, has the ability to supervise, monitor and regulate multiple utility undertakings and markets. Supplemental legislation was passed by the Government of the Cayman Islands in April 2017, which transferred responsibility for economic regulation of the water utility sector and the retail license negotiations from the WAC to OfReg in May 2017. The Company began license negotiations with OfReg in July 2017 and such negotiations are continuing. The Company has been informed during its retail license negotiations, both by OfReg and its predecessor in these negotiations, that the Cayman Islands government seeks to restructure the terms of its license in a manner that could significantly reduce the operating income and cash flows the Company has historically generated from its retail license. The Company is presently unable to determine what impact the resolution of its retail license negotiations will have on its cash flows, financial condition or results of operations but such resolution could result in a material reduction (or the loss) of the operating income and cash flows the Company has historically generated from Cayman Water retail operations and could require the Company to record impairment losses to reduce the carrying values of its retail segment assets. Such impairment losses could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

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